PREVALENCE OF TOXOPLASMOSIS IN HUMANS AND DOMESTIC-ANIMALS IN AHWAZ, CAPITAL OF KHOOZESTAN PROVINCE, SOUTH-WEST IRAN

From 1984 to 1988 sera from 1806 apparently healthy persons and 1096 patients suspected of toxoplasmosis in and around Ahwaz city, capital of Khoozestan province, Iran were examined by immunofluorescent antibody test (IFA). Prevalence of Toxoplasma antibodies at a titre of less-than-or-equal-to 1:20 was found in 49.6% of healthy persons compared to 72.3% in suspected patients. The seropositivity rate was lowest in the new-born and children under 6 months of age and highest in persons 14-19 years old. Blood samples from 142 cattle, 138 sheep and 130 goats, collected from Ahwaz abattoir, were tested by the latex-agglutination test (LAT). The infection rates were 14.8, 13.8 and 13.1% respectively. The consumption of uncooked meat seems to be the most probable cause of the high infection rate of toxoplasmosis in the area.